Maddie Janecek’s faith journey began as a kid during summers with her grandma. Like most children, she wasn’t in the pews with the adults listening to the homily or receiving the Eucharist. Rather, she sat in another room of the church with kids her age; Veggie Tales played on a TV while she peered through a window at the Mass.
Back in her hometown of Evanston, Illinois, Janecek’s family hadn’t openly practiced their faith very often, seldom attending church.
In spring 2025, Janecek’s junior year, her faith broke through.
“My classes were difficult and I was having a really hard time,” Janecek recalls. “Then, on one of my hardest days, feeling completely alone, I relied on God and began praying.”
Filled with renewed adoration, Janecek took her first step toward meaningfully practicing her faith with a classic Marquette tradition: Tuesday night Mass at St. Joan of Arc Chapel.
Walking through the chapel’s heavy wood and iron doors, Janecek sat next to a stranger who would soon become a dear friend.
Alyce Peterson, Comm ’16, was also going through a tough time. She had recently completed her own initiation at the Church of the Gesu and now found herself seeking the warm embrace of St. Joan of Arc Chapel.
“My grandma was in her last weeks of hospice, and I just really wanted to go to Mass,” Peterson says. “I got there really early and started praying for my grandma and thinking about that loss of friendship when Maddie sat down next to me.”
The two talked about the historic chapel, exploring their faiths, their grandmothers and a book Peterson offered to Janecek about becoming Catholic. Peterson introduced her to Campus Ministry and encouraged her to reach out.
The women had formed such a strong bond that Peterson agreed to sponsor Janecek through the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults.
Already late in her time at Marquette, Janecek realized if she wanted to reignite her faith here, she needed to receive her sacraments — and do so in less than a year.
So, over the past eight months, Janecek has been learning about her sacraments; Peterson has been by her side the whole way.
“Rather than go to a random church after graduation and do it with strangers, I loved being able to do it here with people my age and friends who I already have relationships with,” Janecek says. “I’ve really enjoyed getting to know Alyce, and going on mini retreats with her, just the two of us, as we connect and learn more and more about each other’s faith.”
Peterson says Janecek has a childlike curiosity about her faith and was always asking the right questions, such as how her identity relates to her faith and who she is.
“That curiosity is so critical,” Peterson says. “It’s important to believe in what the Catholic Church says and surrenders to the idea that nobody is perfect, and nobody has all the answers. We are lifelong learners together now.”
Janecek says Marquette’s campus is full of “nooks and crannies” for students like her to find a quiet space to pray or sit in reflection as they discern their faith. Further, Janecek says she has cherished the people who have helped her along this journey.
“The people here understand what I and others in OCIA are going through and have always been easy to talk to,” Janecek says. “They never try to push anything onto me or others but instead want us to find our own version of faith. Some people might look toward salvation or whatever interests them in their faith, but my version of faith looks toward the unconditional love.”
Janecek still goes to Tuesday night Mass every week to feel the goodness inside St. Joan of Arc Chapel and to focus on the love surrounding her.
“Freshman year, before I even knew I wanted to become a Catholic, I asked my theology professor if they could teach me how to pray so I could pray at St. Joan of Arc for my grandma on her birthday,” Janecek says. “Now, every year on her birthday since I’ve been at Marquette, I’ve gone to St. Joan of Arc Chapel to pray for her.”
As she wraps up her time at Marquette and gets ready to walk across the Commencement stage, Janecek has completed three of her sacraments — baptism, confirmation, and first communion.
She’s grateful she completed this part of her faith journey at Marquette.
“OCIA has been a gift to me,” Janecek says. “It was an extra hour out of the day that I could spend with friends who have a shared goal and not worry about anything else,” Janecek says. “Plus, I met Alyce and got to do so many beautiful things with her as we shared our faith. I’m grateful for my experience.”
